Watch Out For These 4 Foods and Drinks That Could Harm the Teeth

Watch out for the foods and drinks that can harm the teeth

The main cause of cavities is the acid that sits on the teeth and wears away enamel over time. Foods, from sugary sweets to starchy carbs, dissolve into sugars that turn into corrosive acid in the mouth, attacking teeth and weakening their strong veneer. To keep your teeth strong and your enamel intact, beware of these harmful foods, or, when you absolutely must indulge, be sure to rinse twice daily with a plaque-reducing LISTERINE® mouthwash and/or brush your teeth.

#1 Sticky sugary foods

As you might guess, sugary sweets that you suck on for a long time can put a serious dent in enamel and endanger the health of your mouth. Sweets are loaded with sugar that stick to the teeth and take a long time to dissolve, exposing the gums and teeth to the damaging sugar. ²¹

#2 Sports Drinks

In addition to being high in sugar, some sports drinks can also promote tooth erosion, because they are also high in acid. If you or your child is drinking sports drinks after exercise sessions, either look at labels to find the brands lowest in added sugars or try switching to water.²¹

#3: Carbohydrates

Foods that are full of starches are not friends to your gums. While it may surprise you, bread, cakes and raisins can be just as damaging to healthy gums as sweets. These starches are simple carbohydrates that hang around the mouth and dissolve into the type of simple sugar that mouth germs thrive on, the kind that leads to acid-producing tooth decay.²¹

#4 Ice

Chewing on ice and other hard substances can potentially crack your enamel, exposing your teeth. Other harmful habits involving your mouth, like opening bottles and bags of crisps with your teeth, should also be avoided.²¹